Attack area of Node

Odin

PLEASE HELP ! Hi everyone ! I'm newbie. !This is a picture in my game. I don't understand why my players only attack "Center of Area" of Node( containers). Why don't they attack anywhere of Area Containers ? You can see I draw wide shape collision. But they only focus to attack CENTER. Please help me to solve this problem. I would like they have to attack anywhere of Containers Area that is nearest them. Thank you so much for your helpings.

Megalomaniak

It's very likely up to your code(what else?). beyond that I can only guess since you haven't shared your code here. Probably the same target point(objects center?) used as the target to move to is also used as the attack target.

Odin

This is its code. Red arrow is showing code ( attack Container = Tru so). So, I should do how to fix players can attack anywhere of Container's Collision? Thank you so much.

Megalomaniak

Yeah, so you are only using Look_at() to target the enemy units to the target, that turns them towards the center.

If, for an example, you were to give each npc 2 raycasts, each rotated say 15 degrees +/- from the forward facing angle you could try detecting if the raycast/s hit the targeted object and determine via the raycasts what is the shortest distance to the collider/area of the target.

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For those looking to maybe offer a further help I can give this as a useful tip: the non-english language in the screenshot is Vietnamese and google translate can identify things such as khoang cach as being khoảng cách and translate it in turn to distance or range.

cybereality

If you want to find the exact closest point, you'll need to do some math. There are some suggestions on this page that may help: https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/16877/find-the-closest-point-along-a-rectangle-given-an-another-point-and-direction For the most accurate detection, you'd have to calculate each side of the rectangle area you are checking, and then test for the "closest point to a line" (you'd do this for each of the 4 sides of the rectangle).

However, you actually don't need the more accurate "closest point". You could have your players always moving "forward" (relative to themselves). Then have a ray cast node inside the player (also facing forward). If the ray cast collides with the rectangle, then effectively the player can "see" the area and should continue moving forward until it is attack range and then start attacking. This should work good enough, even if it isn't actually the closest point and will be easier to code.

If you want to make it more interesting, then if the player does not "see" the rectangle area, then have the player turn left or right some small amount randomly. This will make them look like they are wandering around and "looking" for the rectangle. You do not want to use "look_at()" as this won't work for what you are trying to do.

Odin

Oh, so, if I use a raycast for every player, that can help them to attack anywhere Container's Collision? Because when Player's Raycast has collided rectangle Container, he attack that point now. Is it right?

cybereality

Yes, basically.

Odin

Thank you masters ! I'll try that. Thank you very much.

Odin

Excuse me ! I tried, but nothing changes. Many players still forward Center of Container's Collision Shape. How to do those players not forward Center of a Node. I mean they must find Collision Shape of Node to attack,instead of attacking Center of Collision.

fire7side

That thing is really oblong in shape. I suppose it would be a little more coding, but maybe add target points in the shape divided by 3 or something. Then instead of targeting the object, target one of the points randomly, which would be empty nodes maybe kept in an array, or you could also find the closest point to enemy.

Odin

So, how to target a closest point to enemy? Except Center of Object.

fire7side

You'd have to find the distance. https://godotengine.org/qa/10874/how-to-check-distance-of-an-object then find the lowest value.

Odin

But, if I do that, then the distance is still compared from the player to the center of the Collision Shape, so it is the same as the original. Is there a way to make those Players just get close to the Building's Collision Shape to attack, without having to move to the center of the Collision Shape Building?

fire7side

No, you find the distance to 3 points in the same way as they found that distance, then you compare them to find the lowest value, then you target that point. The other thing I would say you could try is to just find the y top and y bottom, or maybe there is an extents value for an area. (there is) Then cast a ray or just move horizontally until it hits the area once it is within the extents. You know the basic direction if the x value is less or more. If the object was straight above then that would be a problem, but you could include that in your logic if it happens. So you are basically finding if the character is within the extents or moving toward center until it is within the extents, if it is then travel in the horizontal or vertical direction until it makes contact. That would probably give the most even distribution and be the most generic, because otherwise you might have an area without extra points.

Odin

It's really hard to do this. Firstly, I am new to coding. Second, I understand what you mean, but I can't write it in code. And I just tried adding an X raycast. Of course it's a bit better, but those Players still look at and find the center point of the Node Building's Collision Shape. Any others simple ways, Masters?

fire7side

Adding extra target nodes would probably be the closest thing to what you are doing, but it's up to you to figure out how to target them. Finding the shortest distance is something like var low_target = targetA; if low_target.distance > targetB.distance:low_target = targetB ... You could probably break it up into separate areas and then add them to a group to get them or whatever. If you have the nodes in an array, you can find the shortest distance in a for loop, but same principle as above. If you are going to program, you are going to have to do that type of thing all the time. If you get stuck, you can post your code and someone will help.

cybereality

The problem is the "look_at()" function. That will cause the player to face the center of whatever object and move toward it. You don't want to use look_at because then they will always move to the center.

One easier way to do this, is to use the bounding box of the area (you just need the top left corner and the bottom right corner) or also called a AABB, and then clamp the player/enemy position to that box. This will give you the closest point. For example:

if( point.x < min.x )  point.x = min.x ;
else if( point.x > max.x )  point.x = max.x ;

Where point is the player/enemy and min/max is the outer points of the Area2D (you need to do this on both X and Y axis).

Odin

Ok, the second way is good, Master Cyberreality. I can understand you in second way.But I don't know how to write that in code. So can you please help me write a code that helps me? Sorry to bother you. Because I'm new to coding . Hope you will help me soon ! Thank you Cyberreality and Everyone!

cybereality

Here is a code sample I made for you.

extends Node2D

onready var face = get_node("Face")
onready var block = get_node("Block")
onready var shape = block.get_node("Shape")
var block_min
var block_max

func _ready():
	var extents = (shape.shape as RectangleShape2D).extents
	block_min = Vector2(-extents.x, -extents.y) + block.position
	block_max = Vector2(extents.x, extents.y) + block.position

func _input(event):
	if event.is_action_released("spawn"):
		move_face(event.position)
	if event.is_action_released("snap"):
		snap_face(block_min, block_max)

func move_face(pos):
	face.position = pos
	
func snap_face(min_point, max_point):
	face.position.x = clamp(face.position.x, min_point.x, max_point.x)
	face.position.y = clamp(face.position.y, min_point.y, max_point.y)

And here is the project to mess around with. Use left and right clicks to control the sprite.

Odin

Yeah Cybereality ! I have 3 Nodes in this problem. First = Attackers, Second = Attacked Target and Third = Collision Shape of Attacked Target. So, your get_node Face = which node? , block = which node? , and shape = Collision Shape of Attacked Node? Your code is brilliant. But I would like to know your 3 Nodes to be what to apply to my code. Thanks for your kind help. Best regards , Master !